7th August 1992

Ron Weasley was outside their window.

"Ron? Is that you? Harry, for goodness sake, stop crying, LOOK it's Ron!"

"Go away Alex, I'm not in the mood for a joke," he muttered into his pillow.

"Oi! HARRY WAKE UP!" shouted Ron from the window.

"It's all a dream," Harry whispered, shaking his head sadly. Alex rolled her eyes at the theatrics, and rolled him around to face the window.

"RON!" he exclaimed, wiping at his eyes.

"Ron." breathed Harry, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you —? What the —?"

Was that Mr Weasley's car? What did Ron do?

"Is that your dad's car?" asked Alex, "IT CAN FLY!?" she exclaimed as the twins popped their heads out.

"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times?"

"It wasn't me," muttered Harry.

"Why,"

"Are there-"

"Bars on your window?" finished Fred and George in unison?

"Oh, that's not a problem," stated Alex. "Anyone know a spell to get rid of metal?"

"You could try, Bombarda maxima," supplied Fred,

"Also, you probably shouldn't use magic in a muggle residence, tsk tsk Ally. I am truly disappointed." continued George.

"Don't call me Ally! I'm not going to blast the entire wall off, you dolt! And the Malfoy's bought my trace off earlier this summer,"

"Lucky," chorused the three Weasleys.

"Mum says we have to turn seventeen and get it off 'the natural way'." huffed Ron.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed as she melted the bars, yelping as some of it nearly hit her foot.

When the bars were melted into a puddle, Fred reversed as close as possible to Harry's window.

"Get in," Ron said.

"But all my Hogwarts stuff — my wand — my broomstick —"

I'll get it Harry, said Alex.

"Watch out for the bottom stair — it creaks," Harry whispered back as she disappeared onto the dark landing.

She used a simple alohomora to unlock their door and the cupboard under the stairs, shrinking all his stuff to fit inside her bag; which had an undetectable expanding charm, thanks to Madam Malkin's.

Got it! she whispered, passing the bag over. Ron nearly dropped it due to the sheer weight. Harry passed Hedwig over and made his way to climb inside when he was pushed out of the way by Alex.

"Ladies first, Harry! Where are your manners?" she admonished, sitting beside Ron.

"But you're not a lady Alex," Harry rebutted with a sweet smile as he sat beside her.

"Why you-"

"Are you two done?" cut in George.

They nodded.

"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron, and the car shot suddenly toward the moon and when Alexandra turned around to look at number four, she saw a very red Vernon Dursley staring back.

"See you next summer!" Harry yelled.

They laughed.

Needless to say, they got a very big earful from Mrs. Weasley.

When they reached the rickety house, Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a fiery red dragon.

"Ah," said Fred.

"Oh, dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket. "So," she said.

"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

So they were caught. Amateurs.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to —"

All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone — could have crashed — out of my mind with worry — did you care? — never, as long as I've lived — you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy —"

"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job —"

Not the comparison's again, thought Alex, perhaps just leave it at don't do it again? My ear's are beginning to fall off.

Mrs. Weasley had yelled for what seemed like hours, by the time she had finished, the sun was high in the sky.

She finally turned towards Alex and Harry,

"Of course none of this is your fault, dears," she said smiling. "Come in and have some breakfast."

Merlin the mood changed fast.

Would Ginny be up yet? wondered Alex as she walked into the house, looking at the magical clock above her, her own hand pointing at 'home' alongside Ginny's.

"Merlin, Alexandra dear, could you get any tinier?" she asked, piling over 10 sausages onto her plate.

"Not if I keep returning to the Burrow," laughed Alex, digging into her plate.

Mrs. Weasley muttered something about 'irresponsible children,' and 'how dare they,'.

"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"They were starving them, Mum!" said George, trying to appeal to her motherly nature.

"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him, Harry being the scrawnier of the two, if that was possible.

"GINNY!" exclaimed Alex, as a little figure appeared on the edge of the stairs. Alex abandoned her breakfast and engulfed her into a hug. ' It's been too long!" said Alex, muffled by her nightdress.

"Honestly Alex, which one of us is the second year?" she laughed, half-joking.

"Oh please, you're far better than the rest of those idiots you call brothers," she replied, tossing her hair back.

"Alexandra! Language! Come back and finish your food, you're not leaving this house until you get some meat on your bones." shouted Mrs. Weasley.

The girls made their way back hand-in-hand, until Ginny caught sight of the singular non-ginger seated at the table. Ginny gave a small squeal, and ran out again.

"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."

"I dare say she's your biggest fan," agreed Alex, cutting up the buttered toast.

While the boys were de-gnoming the garden as punishment, Alex decided to change out of her pyjamas, pulling a neat dress out of her bag.

The dress, despite being one of her plainer ones, was still far more expensive than Mrs. Weasley's dress robes.

It hung loosely on her tiny frame, maybe she did need to eat some more.

Well, there would be no dearth of food at the Weasley's that was for sure.

Just then, Mr. Weasley entered the front door, looking tired as ever. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn.

"What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat down around him.

"Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned. . . ."Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.

"I'm sorry Mr. Weasley," said Alexandra, refilling his cup.

"Oh, it's not your fault Alexandra," he sighed, taking another sip. "Wait, Alexandra!?"

"Yes Mr. Weasley?" she smiled mischievously as she saw recognition dawn on his face.

"Oh my! You're here!" he said, pulling her into a hug, "Weren't you supposed to be with the Malfoys?"

"I made a pit stop to visit Harry," she said smiling.

"Harry? Harry who?" asked Mr. Weasley tiredly.

"ARTHUR WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"Yes dear?"

"A FLYING CAR?" she screamed, making the children flinch.

"C-cars, Molly, dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly."

"Well, err, you see, there's... that is... you'll find a loophole... in the law?" he stuttered now fully awake and terrified.

"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"

Mr. Weasley looked around, finally understanding which Harry the women were referring to.

"Good lord, is it Harry Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about —"

"Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"

"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I — I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that — that was very wrong, boys — very wrong indeed. . . ."

Alex failed to stifle a laugh. Mrs. Weasley glared at her. She stopped immediately.

Ron took Harry upstairs, seeing an opportunity to leave and Alex ran up to Ginny's room.

"Oh, for goodness sake Ginny will you stop mooning over my brother? It's weird," she said, shutting the door behind her.

"He's Harry Potter, Alex, there are books about him!" she gushed.

"Well, if you're gonna be such a fangirl, why don't you fan over me?" Alex winked.

"ALEX!" Ginny shrieked throwing a pillow at her.

Alex ducked, "In all seriousness, do stop sending him heart-eyes in my presence, it's very weird. How would you like if I started giggling every time someone mentioned Percy?"

"No one in their right mind would ever date Percy," said Ginny, completely serious.

"Precisely," said Alex, plopping down in the middle of her bed. "Now what do you say about stealing the boy's brooms and playing a one to one game of Quidditch? I'll even let you take Harry's Nimbus 2000-"

Ginny had already bolted to the garden.

11st August 1992

Summer at the burrow was awesome.

For one, the quidditch games were splendid.

They would go three on three, Harry, Ron and Fred on one team. Alex, Ginny and George on the other.

12-9, in Alex's favour.

Number two, Molly baked them a birthday cake! One that didn't set the kitchen on fire, since they didn't get one initially.

Number three, it was hilarious seeing Harry adjust to the wildness that was life at the burrow. Even if Ginny kept shuffling away every time she saw him, Alexandra swore she would put a sticking charm on her bottom to keep her in the kitchen whenever Harry entered.

Number four, Alex didn't have to worry about using her magic unintentionally as she was in the midst of a wizarding family.

"Alexandra! Don't use magic, we don't want the ministry after us, dear!" said Mrs. Weasley as she plucked the wand out of her hand.

Alexandra gently took the wand back, "Mrs. Weasley, I don't have the trace one me."

A look of realisation dawned on the matriarch's face and she grimaced nodding.

"Very well then, but do be careful!"

Perhaps the only downside to the burrow was mealtimes, Mrs. Weasley kept trying to feed Alexandra fourth and fifth helpings and if this continued Alex feared her stomach might burst!

Currently, she was sitting on top of the roof, penning letters to everyone that sent her presents.

She was wearing one of Mrs. Weasleys old dresses, a very simple thin peach frock with matching robes.

She looked down, seeing Harry wave at her from atop his Nimbus 2000 and waved back smiling.

They were to head back to school in less than a week and as if the universe had heard her thoughts, an owl flew into the window below her.

She climbed in through Ginny's window, stuffing the half-finished letters into her school satchel and headed down to the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley was distributing letters.

Alexandra peered over Harry's shoulder, knowing their letters would be the same.

SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

How many Lockhart books are there?

"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" said Fred.

"The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch. "At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.

"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive. . . ."

"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

"Ginny can have all of my books, the ones she needs anyways," offered Alex. " They've got plenty of notes in the margins."

"Oh you don't have to Alex," said Mrs. Weasley.

"It's no problem, after all the years you've let me stay," finished Alex. "Come on Gin, they're in my trunk,"

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny.

She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Alex rolled her eyes, and muttered something about 'stupid schoolgirl crushes'

"What was that?" asked Harry, curious.

"Nothing, COME ON GIN!" Alex pulled the girl from her seat, wiping her elbow and taking her up to her room. "Honestly, have a little grace."

"I didn't want to get my elbow in the butter dish!" she yelled.

"Could've fooled me," murmured Alex.

Ginny huffed as Alex took her books out.

"You couldn't have let Harry offer his books could you?" she said annoyed.

Alex's eyes widened. "Gin why in merlin's bollocks would he give you his books, I dare say he needs them more than you, you midget."

"What?"

"Yeah, he nearly failed Potions and Astronomy." she confided. "Would've failed the rest if it weren't for them getting cancelled,"

"Well, it's difficult being Harry Potter, you see-" she tried to argue.

"Please Gin, I don't want to hear the results of your stalking." Alex pleaded.

"Fine!"

Just then Harry popped his head in. "Alex we're heading to Flourish and Blott's next week, yeah? Hermione sent a note,"

"Pass it here," she said, extending a hand out.

The note read;

"'Dear Ron, and the Potters if you're there,

"'I hope everything went all right and that Harry is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get them into trouble, too."

'How did she know', thought Alex.

I've been really worried and if they're all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish your one off. I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley?"

'Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. Love from Hermione.'"

"Is that Hermione?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, how do you know Hermione anyways?"

"Ron, he wrote about the three of you a lot, mum used to read his letters out loud, only one who sent them regularly."

Alexandra forgot how tough it must have been to live in the Burrow when it was only her, the entire charm of the place was its noisiness and crowd.

"I'm sure you didn't miss us that much," Alex ruffled her hair.

"You've been coming over since you met Fred and George and they smuggled you home," she pushed Alex off of her, "AND you've been at Hogwarts since Bill was there, obviously you were only two, but my point is, you don't get to talk about missing people."

Ginny punched her on the arm, hard.

I'd trade Hogwarts in a heartbeat for parents.

"Ow," Alex said rubbing her arm, "Alright you whiny midget, you'll be at Hogwarts this year, so you won't be missing my awesomeness too much."

"Who said I was missing you, your Highness?"

"OI!"

A/N: Summer at the burrow, a good contrast to one at the Dursleys.